The Dallas/Fort Worth area ({{IATA|QDF}} for [[Metropolitan Area Airport Codes|all airports]]) is served by two major airports, '''Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport''' ({{IATA|DFW}}), and '''Love Field''' ({{IATA|DAL}}). Love Field is within the city limits not far northwest of downtown, but has certain restrictions on flights in and out. Love Field is home to Southwest Airlines [http://www.southwest.com], and is much closer to downtown, but if you are flying from far away it will probably require a connection to get there. Love Field is also served by United Express to Houston and Delta Connection to Memphis. The flight restrictions at Love Field were partially lifted when the "Wright Amendment Reform Act" was made law in October 2006 and will be fully lifted in 2014.

The Dallas/Fort Worth area ({{IATA|QDF}} for [[Metropolitan Area Airport Codes|all airports]]) is served by two major airports, '''Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport''' ({{IATA|DFW}}), and '''Love Field''' ({{IATA|DAL}}). Love Field is within the city limits not far northwest of downtown, but has certain restrictions on flights in and out. Love Field is home to Southwest Airlines [http://www.southwest.com], and is much closer to downtown, but if you are flying from far away it will probably require a connection to get there. Love Field is also served by United Express to Houston and Delta Connection to Memphis. The flight restrictions at Love Field were partially lifted when the "Wright Amendment Reform Act" was made law in October 2006 and will be fully lifted in 2014.

Revision as of 03:08, 30 September 2013

Dallas Skyline

Discussion on defining district borders for Dallas is in progress. If you know the city pretty well, please share your opinion on the talk page.

Dallas is a huge city with several district articles containing sightseeing, restaurant, nightlife and accommodation listings — have a look at each of them.

Dallas[1],the third largest city in Texas and the center of the state's largest metropolitan area, the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, is in the north central portion of the state. This populous city is home to the Dallas Mavericks and you'll regularly be reminded of the city's mass enthusiasm for the team. A shopper's paradise, Dallas has more shopping centers per capita than any other city in the US.

Districts

Downtown, including the historic West End. Home to a burgeoning residential and nightlife district.

East Dallas - This is the large area north of I-30 and south of Mockingbird, extending from Central Expressway to White Rock Lake and beyond. The closer-in areas are some of the "streetcar suburbs" built from the teens to '30s, with quaint bungalows and neighborhood strips that are teeming with restaurants, taverns, coffeehouses, wine bars, and vintage shops. A large oasis of laid-back in a sometimes uptight city, homey-but-hip East Dallas is a great place to mingle with locals. Contained within East Dallas are Lower Greenville and Deep Ellum.

North Dallas and Preston Hollow, including the areas along the south side of northern I-635 loop (LBJ) but extending up around the borders of the North Dallas Tollway and Addison. Made up of several upscale neighborhoods, north of the Park Cities and mostly south of LBJ.

Northwest Dallas, home to Koreatown and to Dallas Love Field, the city's second biggest airport.

Oak Cliff, a large low-income, mainly residential district southwest of downtown. North Oak Cliff or "Kessler Park" is another "streetcar suburb" and is home to upscale homes, from vintage 1930's bungalows, to mid-century modern, to new contemporary. The Bishop Arts District, centered on Bishop and Davis streets, is one of the City's hottest areas for new restaurants, cafes, and boutiques, drawing an eclectic crowd in which the creative class and the gay community are well-represented. North Oak Cliff is a slice of Austin in Dallas.

Oak Lawn, north of downtown, Oak Lawn includes established Turtle Creek highrise living, a multitude of Parks and restaurants, dense, urban neighborhoods of mostly townhomes, apartments, and condos, and also includes the gay district of Cedar Springs.

South Dallas, home to the Texas State Fairgrounds, Fair Park is open all year and is home to multiple museums. The Cotton Bowl is at Fair Park, and the University of Texas and University of Oklahoma face off on the gridiron here every year in the fall during the Texas State Fair. The Exposition Park neighborhood across from Fair Park and the DART Fair Park stop, is a little hamlet of hipster bars, clubs, and restaurants.

Uptown - Immediately east of the Oak Lawn district -- a playground and shopping grounds for the beautiful people of the city. Extends from Woodall Rodgers on the south to Haskell on the north, and from Central Expressway on the east to the Katy Trail on the west. Immediately north of Uptown, and sometimes included as part of it, is the Knox Park neighborhood, which includes restaurants and a plethora of upscale home furnishings shops. "Knox/Henderson" is a split personality urban neighborhood worthy of its own designation. The Knox side west of Hwy 75 is the more upscale half, with many restaurants and upscale home decor shops. The Henderson side lagged behind its Knox half, but is now just as trendy, with a more low-key, relaxed vibe. Henderson hot spots now line Henderson all the way from Hwy 75 to Ross. Knox and the western half of Henderson are very pedestrian friendly. Knox/Henderson is just a short walk up the Katy Trail from West Village.

Dallas/Highland Park and University Park. One of the wealthiest areas of the city, the "Park Cities" are mostly residential, but also offer world-class shopping opportunities at Highland Park Village (corner of Mockingbird and Preston) and elsewhere. North Park mall is on the northern edge of the Park Cities. University Park is home to Southern Methodist University (SMU), the Meadows Museum at SMU, and the George W. Bush Presidential Library.

West Dallas is largely a blighted area of poverty, but it does feature the one-of-a-kind Belmont Hotel, which has arguably the best views of downtown. West Dallas is easily connected to the Oak Cliff area, and is poised for re-development as part of the Trinity River Project, and the under-construction Hunt-Hill Bridge across the Trinity River, designed by famed Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava.

Some area attractions often thought of as Dallas attractions are actually located in the suburbs, notably the following:

Addison, almost surrounded by North Dallas, has a lot of restaurants and shopping packed into its 4 square miles.

Arlington, home to the new Cowboys Stadium, Six Flags Over Texas, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, and the ballpark of the Texas Rangers.

Irving, former home of the Dallas Cowboys' Stadium, it serves as the gateway to the massive DFW airport.

The suburbs of Carrollton and Lewisville, north along I-35E have less to offer in terms of attractions, but provide ample tourist accommodations, plenty of restaurants, and are reasonably close to any Dallas destination. The same might be said for Richardson and Plano, which lie north from Dallas along US-75.

Understand

Many non-natives often have a hard time sizing up Dallas, and indeed, the entire Metroplex. Dallas does not fit many of the typical Texan stereotypes (Western, laid-back, casual), but it also doesn’t often live up to some of the more notorious stereotypes of its own (pretentious, unfriendly, sterile). The truth is, like in many things, somewhere in between.

Dallas is a wonderful place with a great deal to offer and an immense and diverse set of attractions, food and people. From the ultra-modern and posh Uptown and Victory developments, to the old-world elegance and upper-crust attitude of Turtle Creek, to the “real life” feel of largely-suburban North Dallas, it is virtually impossible to neatly categorize Dallas beyond this: it is one of the largest cities in America, and a metro area where more and more people are choosing to work and live every year. With that in mind, you should enjoy visiting Dallas for all the same reasons why others choose to live there.

Being in the American South, Dallas has a subtropical climate with mild winters, hot summers, and a very wet spring and fall in between. In winter and summer it can also be a very dry place, as it receives warmer, drier weather from the Mojave Desert in the west and the Great Plains in the north.

Winters are generally mild, with average highs in the 50s and 60s (10-20ºC) and average lows around the freezing mark. It does snow in Dallas a couple times a year, and there is the rare day where temperatures will not get out of the 30s (0-5ºC), but for the most part winter is just relatively dry and cool. There is, however, the danger of freezing rain and ice storms.

Spring and fall bring very pleasant temperatures, but spring is also known for its storms. With Dallas lying within Tornado Alley, springtime weather can be quite volatile and severe storms often occur. Summers are hot and dry, with temperatures often surpassing 100*F (38ºC).

Average rainfall in Dallas is 37.1 inches (942.3 mm) per year, and average snowfall is about 2.5 inches (63.5 mm) per year.

Get in

Most people who come to Dallas arrive by air since the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex is home to DFW, the Dallas-Fort Worth International airport.

Coming from the south, I-45 is the major highway for travel between Houston and Dallas, while I-35 connects the city to Austin and San Antonio.If you come in on I-35 you need to keep in mind that, a few dozen miles both north and south of the "metroplex," the interstate splits into I-35W (which runs north/south through Fort Worth) and I-35E (the branch that runs north/south through Dallas). Miss the split and you'll wind up in a different city. Coming from the west, Dallas is reached by either I-20 on the south side or I-30 which comes directly into downtown. Both of these interstate highways approach Dallas from the east. I-20 comes from Shreveport, Louisiana and I-30 comes from Texarkana.

The Dallas/Fort Worth area (IATA: QDF for all airports) is served by two major airports, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (IATA: DFW), and Love Field (IATA: DAL). Love Field is within the city limits not far northwest of downtown, but has certain restrictions on flights in and out. Love Field is home to Southwest Airlines [3], and is much closer to downtown, but if you are flying from far away it will probably require a connection to get there. Love Field is also served by United Express to Houston and Delta Connection to Memphis. The flight restrictions at Love Field were partially lifted when the "Wright Amendment Reform Act" was made law in October 2006 and will be fully lifted in 2014.

You will probably end up flying into DFW airport[4]. DFW, one of the largest airports in the country by passenger volume, and served by a total of 21 domestic and international air carriers. Equally positioned between Dallas and Fort Worth, DFW is a great airport to fly into. Don't forget that as you drive out of the airport, you will have to pay a toll to leave. DFW is the chief hub of American Airlines, which controls well over 80% of all the flights. WiFi is provided by T-Mobile for a fee.

Addison Airport (IATA: ADS, ICAO: KADS, FAA LID: ADS) is a public airport located in the town of Addison, an incorporated city in Dallas County, Texas, United States. It is nine miles (14 km) north of the central business district of the city of Dallas. Addison Airport (ADS) was conceived in 1954 by a group of flying enthusiasts, and was developed under the direction of Henry Stuart. Construction of the airport was completed in 1957. Stuart’s group sold the airport to the Town of Addison in 1986. It is now the third largest general aviation airport in the country and boasts a runway of 7,200 feet. Air taxi and air charter companies such as Jetset Charter[5] fly a variety of private charter aircraft and jets, from charter luxury Gulfstream's down to economical piston twins for small groups and individuals.

No matter which airport you are flying into or out of, if it is during rush hour, traffic will be a factor. Make sure you budget at least 2-3 hours to get to/from the airport if you are traveling on I-635, the Bush turnpike (SH-190), or 75 (Central Expressway). It will probably only take you an hour (and traffic has been getting better lately), but it is far better to have that extra hour of cushion than to be stuck on the one road that will get you where you need to go, and to be moving at a crawl.

Once you've arrived at the airport, you will probably do best to take one of the Shared Ride shuttle services. They offer door to door pickup and drop off, probably costing ~$30 for ~20 miles, which will get you to most places.

Another option is to pickup a car rental at DFW. To do so, you will take the shared shuttle from the airport terminal to the consolidated car rental facility. The following companies are located inside the facility:

For DFW, there are courtesy phones that will let you ring them directly (for free), and they are usually pretty quick about pickups and drop offs. (at most adding an extra 30-40 minutes while you wait for them to pick up more people, or to drop your fellow passengers off on the way to your place or hotel).

A less expensive option, to some places, would be DART[9], Dallas Area Rapid Transit, which offers regular daytime bus service from DFW Airport to a commuter rail station located South of the airport.

Don't be fooled by the airport transportation information service, who will tell you that there isn't any public transport available to get you out of the airport. As you walk out of the arrivals hall at DFW, turn right and wait under the sign for the 'Remote' South shuttle. This free service takes you to the 'Remote South' station, where you can either take the TRE or DART bus 408[10].

By train

There are two Amtrak [11] routes which serve Dallas/Fort Worth, the Texas Eagle between San Antonio and Chicago, and the Heartland Flyer between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City.

By car

To get here from Oklahoma, take I-35 or US 75 south. To get here from Houston, it's ~250 miles north on I-45 (which turns into US 75). To get here from Austin, take I-35 North. To get here from Louisiana, take I-20 west. Dallas is the junction-point for most cities within a 200-300 mile radius, with good road service to and from. Any map of the United States should have enough information to get you into Dallas with no problems.

However, once you are here, watch out for traffic. Traffic tends to go towards the city centers in the morning, and away from the city centers in the evening. Major choke points are 75 South in the morning (what takes 20 minutes with no traffic, ends up taking 1-2 hours with traffic). I-635 near US-75 is also usually a mess since I-635 (being the beltway that runs all around Dallas) is an often-traveled road. Also watch out for I-35E southbound in the mornings. Roadway construction is also a common occurrence in Dallas and should be budgeted for. The farthest eastern end of the George Bush Turnpike (SH-190), many portions of SH-121, and the central portion of IH-635 are, as of July 2011, either beginning or are currently under major construction.

US-75 is also called "Central" or "Central Expressway", and turns into I-45 just south of Downtown

I-635 is sometimes called LBJ, which stands for Lyndon B Johnson.

There are two branches of I-35. I-35 splits into I-35W at Denton (30 miles north of Dallas) through Fort Worth to Hillsboro (50 miles south of Dallas), and I-35E that runs from Denton through Dallas to Hillsboro. After I-35W and I-35E reach Hillsboro, they simply rejoin as I-35.

By bus

Greyhound[12]. Bus stop is near the center of downtown at 205 S. Lamar.

Buses also run to and from Shreveport on the weekends, which is sponsored by the casinos. This is more for the locals to go and get their gambling fixes, but ask around if you're interested.

Autobus Americanos, [15]. Mexican trans-border bus line with services to various points in Mexico. Bus stop is located at 627 N Westmoreland St in Dallas.

Turimex Internacional, [16]. Mexican trans-border bus line with services to various points in Mexico. Bus stop is located at 501 E. Jefferson Blvd in Dallas.

Omnibus Mexicanos, [17]. Mexican trans-border bus line with services to various points in Mexico. Bus stop is located at 201 E. Jefferson Blvd in Dallas.

Get around

Reunion Tower and the Trinity Railway Express

By car

The simplest and most reliable way to get around Dallas is by car. Gas stations are plentiful and most sell both regular unleaded and diesel fuel. Highways and many major arterial roads can become heavily congested during rush hour, which occurs Monday through Friday, approximately 7:30am—9:00am and 4:30pm—6:00pm. Avoid driving at these times. Use an electronic mapping service from your smartphone or computer to check traffic conditions, as these change frequently. Accidents are common and tend to cause traffic jams on the major highways at random intervals.

By public transportation

The Dallas Area Rapid Transit or DART has an extensive system of buses and a large light rail network with four different lines. Unfortunately, the Texas culture and the urban sprawl of the DFW metroplex encourage the use of cars and locals will generally be unable to help you use public transportation. The light rail hits many tourist destinations in the downtown area but generally works best for commuters. The trains run every 10 minutes or so during rush hours, but slow down to as few as two trains per hour at other times. Buses will get you almost anywhere but will usually require multiple transfers and are a slow way to travel.

You can get an excellent trip plan by visiting the DART website [18] or by calling their information phone number (214-979-1111). Tickets consist of either one-way tickets ($1.75 and up) or day passes ($4 at light rail stations) and are generally collected on the honor system; the day pass because you will almost certainly need to take a lot of buses to get where you need to go. Most buses and the entire light rail have service from around 5:00AM to midnight. There are no buses late at night. Bus drivers will check tickets upon boarding; light rail trains have infrequent random checks, usually during rush hour.

To get from Dallas-Fort worth (DFW) airport to downtown Dallas using public transportation, use the Sky Train at DFW to transfer to Terminal A. Take the direct 500 bus from outside Terminal A, which runs every 15 minutes at rush hour and every 20 minutes the rest of the day, in the direction of Belt Line Station. Get off at Belt Line Station and take the Orange Line light rail train directly into downtown Dallas. To get to downtown Forth Worth, take the 500 bus in the direction of Centre Port/DFW Airport Station on the Trinity Railway Express commuter rail. Then take a westbound train into downtown Ft. Worth.

See

Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park - See over 6,000 aquatic animals at this aquarium located on the state fairgrounds in the southern part of town.

Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, [19]. Located along the south banks of White Rock Lake in East Dallas.

Dallas Museum of Art - Large museum that offers great works of art from eastern and western cultures, from all ages.

Dallas World Aquarium, Downtown, [20]. More than just an aquarium, this unique zoo tour starts at the canopy level of a rain forest and winds its way down past many types of animals and into the aquarium below.

Dallas Zoo, in south Dallas. Over 8,000 animals can be seen at this 97-acre zoo.

The Dallas Cowboys[21], Dallas' famous football team, plays at AT&T Stadium (formerly Cowboys Stadium), a short ways west of Dallas in Arlington.

The Dallas Mavericks play at the American Airlines Center in Dallas/Downtown. They won the 2011 NBA Championship.

The Dallas Stars play at the American Airlines Center in Dallas/Downtown. Dallas' professional ice hockey team.

Meadows Museum of Art[22] - Houses one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of Spanish Art outside of Spain, including works by El Greco, Velázquez, Ribera, Murillo, Goya, Miró and Picasso, and a 40-by-90 foot moving sculpture, Wave, designed by Santiago Calatrava. Admission is free on Thursdays after 5PM

The SMU Mustangs[24], representing Southern Methodist University and members of the American Athletic Conference, are the most prominent college sports program on the Dallas side of the Metroplex. SMU's main athletic facilities are on its campus in University Park. The most prominent venues are Gerald J. Ford Stadium (football) and Moody Coliseum (basketball).

The Texas Rangers are from the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Dallas/West, specifically from the city of Arlington. Dallas' professional baseball team is the 2010 & 2011 American League Champions.

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science Aa huge, very new complex located in 2201 N Field St. A must-see! But get your tickets early, sells out quickly on busy days.

The Sixth Floor Museum, dedicated to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, is located downtown in the same building from which Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots. It features a lobby on the first floor, after which only the museum on the sixth floor and the post-assassination themed exhibit on the seventh floor are accessible. Note the gift shop is located in a different building.

The Texas Theatre, 231 W Jefferson Blvd Dallas, Texas 75208, ☎214-948-1546, [25]. A movie theater and Dallas Landmark located in Oak Cliff, the Texas Theatre gained historical fame for being the place Lee Harvey Oswald, the assassin of President John F. Kennedy and Dallas police officer J. D. Tippit, was arrested after a brief fight. Open daily, today it hosts a mix of repertory cinema and special events.

Do

State Fair[27]. In autumn, the Texas State Fair is held at designated grounds southeast of downtown, vying with its Minnesota counterpart for the title of the country's largest state fair.

Head to Arlington for a day of fun at Six Flags Over Texas, [28] or Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, the best waterpark in the area. Don't forget the sunblock.

White Rock Lake. Escape the city bustle for a stroll at this large park in East Dallas. This is really a beautiful getaway, but locals would tell you to avoid driving around here at night--ghosts haunt these waters.

Golf - There are a lot of wonderful courses in the Dallas area. The city boasts five municipal courses with reasonable greens fees. Of these, Tenison Highlands in East Dallas and Cedar Crest in South Dallas offer the best test of golf, and can be the most crowded, especially on weekends. There are any number of terrific daily-fee public courses in the D/FW area as well, particularly in the cities of Irving, Grapevine, Lewisville, and The Colony

Shakespeare Dallas, 3630 Harry Hines Blvd., 3rd Floor, ☎(214) 559-2778, [30]. 9AM - 5PM. Inspired by the democratic spirit of the New York Shakespeare Festival, Robert "Bob" Glenn started Shakespeare Dallas in 1971. Today, Shakespeare Dallas is a treasured North Texas cultural landmark and the only company in the area that provides accessible programs for audiences of all ages. Shakespeare Dallas has shows in various parks in the Dallas area (Shakespeare in the Park), as well as performances in local schools (Shakespeare on the Go), cultural centers and co-productions with local theatre groups (Shakespeare Unplugged). donations recommended.

Segway tours in Dallas, ☎972-821-9054, [33]. A fun and informative way to tour Dallas. Glide through downtown or take a trip up the Katy Trail and into Reverchon Park. As your Segway hums down streets and sidewalks, you'll feel as though you're riding a magic carpet.

Learn

Buy

Shopping is big in Dallas and the city and it's suburbs has more shopping centers per capita than any other city in the United States and is also home to the second shopping center ever built in the United States. Many people come from all over the country to shop in Dallas' exclusive shops, including main street stores and boutiques, craft shows, antique shops, estate sales[35], yard sales, flea markets, farm stands, and farmers' markets, as well as several very large shopping malls.

Popular shopping malls include the Galleria in North Dallas, NorthPark Mall, and the West Village in Uptown, among others. A bit further afield is Grapevine Mills in nearby Grapevine. Amazing malls can also be found in Frisco and other suburbs.

Half-Price Books, [36]. Used bookstore chain headquartered in Dallas, offering secondhand books, music and video, with offerings varying by location. The flagship store is in East Dallas, with one other Dallas store and nine more in the Metroplex area.

Neiman Marcus was founded in Dallas, supplying dresses and diamonds to debutantes and family scions. The downtown flagship store remains a popular destination for visitors and locals alike, and the NorthPark Mall location is the chain's most successful location.

Groceries and other basics

The major supermarket chains in Dallas are Kroger, Tom Thumb (which is owned by Safeway), Albertson's, and Fiesta Mart. In addition the nation's largest discount store chain, Walmart, has several stores in Dallas most of which are also open 24 hours and some Tom Thumb and Kroger stores in Dallas are also open 24 hours as well. Many specialty and organic supermarkets such as Whole Foods Market, Central Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Trader Joe's can also be found throughout the area.

Knox and Henderson streets (the "Knox/Henderson" neighborhood), off US-75 Uptown have many laid-back, stylish restaurants.

McKinney Avenue, is the heart of Uptown, with a wide variety of quality establishments.

The West End in the northwest part of Downtown has a good mix of original local restaurants and successful chain establishments.

Dallas has a good number of its own chain restaurants which have become quite successful in the area, offering unique local flavors.

Spring Creek Barbeque, [37]. Spring Creek Barbeque has 15 Texas style restaurants across the North Texas area. The menu is very simple. Beef, ham sausage, turkey, chicken, and ribs are available for entrees (you can have combinations also). Side items available are corn, beans, potato salad, cole slaw, and baked potatoes. In addition, fresh homemade bread rolls are served with each dish and more are delivered to your table during each meal. Even with large servings, the most expensive menu is only about $10 so all of the dishes are available at a reasonable price.

Cristina's, several DFW locations, [38]. Lunch specials are very reasonably priced. Service across all of the family owned and operated locations is blindingly fast no matter the location. The chips and salsa are arguably some of the freshest and best in the Metroplex. A unique signature menu item is the "Queso Flameado" where the server melts cheese by fire tableside and then wraps the gooey cheesey goodness in several freshly made tortillas.

Main Street in Downtown has seen major improvements over the last few months, with plenty of places to eat and to play. Highly Recommended. Don't forget to stop by the City Tavern for a longneck or two.

Taste of Addison (Addison Circle Park), 4970 Addison Circle Drive. Includes food from over 50 of Addison's most popular restaurants, live music, arts and crafts show, children's entertainment, cooking demonstrations and more! Held annually in the Spring.

Drink

Noteworthy Bars

The Ginger Man (McKinney Avenue Area), 2718 Boll Street, ☎(214) 754-8771, [39]. American Pub with 75+ beers on tap and another 100 selections by the bottle. Wines, Ales, and Ciders also available. Two story house with beer garden and upstairs lounge/library.

The Cedars Social, 1326 South Lamar, ☎(214) 928-7700, [40]. The best cocktail bar in Dallas, recently named among the 100 best places to drink in the South by Imbibe Magazine. Choose among always-available classics and ever-changing seasonal selections, plus great bites, in an inviting lounge atmosphere. This is the place to have a drink.

Urban Oasis at Hotel ZaZa, 2332 Leonard Street, ☎214-550-9500, [41]. Located in Uptown Dallas, Urban Oasis is a trendy bar and lounge that attracts an eclectic mix of Hollywood celebrities and world travelers. Open year round, the lounge offers a chic, poolside retreat.

Neighborhoods

West End - This is an attractive enough historic neighborhood with buildings in a turn-of-the-century redbrick vernacular -- the notorious Book Depository is one of them -- in the northwest quadrant of downtown. The area is mostly popular with suburbanites and tourists out for dinner and a quick stroll around the neighborhood but has a number of bars as well.

Deep Ellum is a district of bars, dance clubs, music venues and tattoo shops. located just east of downtown on Main, Elm and Commerce streets. It is a hipster haven for young people and a weekend destination for music lovers of all ages. Lately, it has been stigmatized by a purported "crime wave," be sure to go in groups if you go on a weeknight.

Uptown and McKinney Ave - This is where Dallas' beautiful people go to see and be seen. Trendy to the nth degree, this neighborhood contains very upscale fashionable clubs.

Downtown is home to a burgeoning nightlife district and upscale restaurants

Addison has some famous drinking spots tucked in amongst its many restaurants, notably The Flying Saucer.

Gentlemen's Clubs

If you are so inclined, Dallas has an overabundance of "Gentlemen's Clubs." Most of these places are nice and safe, and usually located off the Highway 35 and Northwest Highway area. Bring cash along or go to an ATM beforehand-- if using a credit card, you have to sign the tabs in triplicate with a photocopy of your ID. One can have a good time for $100-$200 at all the clubs, but if you want to spend more, the ladies will certainly help you do so. Here is a list of some of the clubs starting with the nicest ones.

The Lodge - Has a safari motif inside and actually has good food too.

The Men's Club - A nice club with pretty girls. The best night is Thursday.

Silver City - Good club.

Baby Doll's - An enormous club that sells more alcohol than any other bar in Texas. Has pretty decent priced drinks for a gentlemen's club.

Million Dollar Saloon - A lot of history behind this place. Really the first of its kind in Dallas or all of Texas.

The Clubhouse - Owned and operated by surviving members of Pantera; Frequented by all walks of life in Dallas; BYOB; Full frontal

Beer/Wine/Liquor Stores

If you're looking to fill a mini-fridge or cooler with your own beverages a bit of planning might be required. Alcohol is only sold in certain parts of the city and in certain suburbs so getting to a liquor store can involve some travel. Also, Texas' liquor laws specify that any store that sells liquor cannot open on Sunday nor stay open after 9PM any other day. Stores that sell beer and wine cannot sell either from 12AM to 12PM on Sunday. A smartphone app that locates liquor stores is very useful as many of those stores in the Dallas area tend to be well inside neighborhoods as opposed to along highways, and hotel desk staff can tell you if you're in a 'wet' or 'dry' area of Dallas. Liquor stores can become quite crowded after 8PM (especially on Saturday) and remember to be extra-alert after dark. In 'wet' areas beer and wine is easily and safely available at grocery stores.

Additional Resources

The Dallas Observer[42] is the local alternative weekly. You can pick up a free copy at many places around town. It is full of useful information on Dallas nightlife and its music-scene offerings.

When in doubt, as a rule of thumb, try your best not to venture out to any areas west, south, or southeast of Downtown Dallas, ( the area between Interstate 35 E, Interstate 30/ Highway 67, and Interstate 20) unless you have a specific reason to or are going with a group. I suggest completely avoiding these areas after dark. Take caution in Downtown after dark, especially on weekends. I also recommend avoiding if possible riding buses and trains after around 9-10 pm and before 6am. If you stay north, northwest, or northeast of downtown or in any of Dallas's suburbs, you'll be well off and should then just take the usual precautions. Its a shame that this is so segregated. Otherwise the city is safe for the most part. Just use common sense.

Stay safe

Be careful in these rough areas: South Dallas, Deep Ellum, and West Dallas

Get out

Denton, half an hour north on I-35E, has a charming historic town square, and an off-the-cuff nightlife scene driven by the city's disproportionately large number of musicians.

Joe Pool Lake[51] lies to the southwest of the city, 4 miles past Grand Prairie. There are two popular parks to camp at along the shoreline, including Cedar Hill State Park [52] and Loyd Park [53]. The most popular day use park on Joe Pool Lake is Lynn Creek Park [54].

Lake Texoma is a popular spot an hour's drive north on US-75, on the border with Oklahoma.

Southfork Ranch, 3700 Hogge Rd, Parker, tel. 972-442-7800, [55]. The ranch made famous by the TV series "Dallas". An easy day trip from Dallas. Tours run 364 days a year (except 25 Dec).

Waco, an hour south on I-35, has a number of attractions including the Dr. Pepper Museum and the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame.

Tyler, an hour and half east on I-20, Nicknamed the Rose Capital of the World due to the Rose industry. Be sure to check out the Rose festival in October!

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!